Dundee United produced the best performance of Mixu Paateleainen’s time in charge as they ran riot against Ross County in Dingwall.
This incredible win by the Premiership’s bottom club over the side in fourth spot in the table gave the Tangerines renewed hope that they maybe can and it’s still a massive maybe beat relegation.
Paatelainen’s players now sit eight points behind second-bottom Kilmarnock, with a game in hand over the Rugby Park club.
They rode their luck at times County hit the woodwork on a couple of occasions but they always seemed in control of this match and will enjoy the long journey back down the road before preparing to play Aberdeen at home on Wednesday night.
United opened the scoring on 10 minutes thanks to captain Paul Paton, who headed down and into the net from a Scott Fraser corner.
It was a brilliantly-timed finish from the midfielder, who was the matchwinner last week against Hearts.
They went two-up on 71 minutes when Billy Mckay slammed the ball into the net after a fine move started on the left by defender Mark Durnan.
They added another five minutes later when substitute Ryan Dow headed in from close range to have the Highlanders reeling.
The Tangerines had made two changes to the side that kicked off the victory over the Jam Tarts last Saturday.
Paul Dixon was promoted from the bench, while Mckay was back up front after being rested against the Tynecastle team.
There was no Guy Demel because of a hamstring injury, while Henri Anier was suspended.
It was also confirmed that Riku Riski’s loan spell had been brought to an early end and he was off back to parent club Rosenborg.
It was a lovely, sunny day in Dingwall as the visitors got the action under way.
After a quiet start, United took the lead on 10 minutes.
They won a corner on the left and it was taken by Fraser.
Paton, who had been bobbing and weaving at the edge of the box, suddenly burst forward into space and met the ball with his head to give County keeper Scott Fox no chance.
United defender Gavin Gunning was booked on 17 minutes, with County’s Alex Schalk claiming he had been kicked by the Irishman.
Fraser went on a mazy run into the box three minutes later and, after his cross was cleared to the edge of the box, Gunning volleyed just wide.
Coll Donaldson was yellow carded on the half-hour, guilty of a clumsy challenge on Liam Boyce.
There was a let-off for the visitors on 37 minutes when goalie Eiji Kawashima and Gunning both failed to deal with a low cross. The ball then hit Donaldson and took a lucky bounce into the Japanese international’s arms.
United continued to press at the other end and, three minutes from half-time, a sequence of balls into the box ended when Paton fired just over from outside the area.
The visitors almost started the second half with a bang, with Mckay’s lob beating keeper Fox and nearly creeping in.
On 55 minutes, United carved County open when they raced down the left. Dixon’s superb cross was met at the back post by Fraser but he couldn’t get enough of a boot on the ball and the danger was cleared.
The Tannadice side brought on Dow for Edward Ofere on 62 minutes, with the big man having put in a real shift.
There was a tangerine tint to County’s double substitution, when former United men David Goodwillie and Brian Graham came off the bench.
Fraser chipped over the Staggies’ bar from a tight angle midway through the second period
It was 2-0 United on 71 minutes following a great move kicked off by Durnan of all people.
He took the ball forward, fed Dow, who then played in Fraser. The midfielder cut the ball back across goal and, after County failed to clear, Mckay pounced to fire a shot inside the post.
The United fans behind the goal went wild, the long journey suddenly all worthwhile.
Fraser came close to making it three just minutes later when his 25-yard shot stung the hands of Fox and flew away for a corner.
From that resultant setpiece the visitors did get another goal, with sub Dow heading in from inches out after the ball had spun up after Fox’s brilliant save off Donaldson.
The United fans greeted the final whistle with the chant: “We are staying up!”
Attendance: 3,564.
Ross County: Fox, McShane (Franks 46), Schalk (Goodwillie 66), Woods, Davies, Gardyne, McLaughlin, Irvine, M. Fraser, Boyce (Graham 66). Subs not used: Woods, Murdoch, Boyd, Robertson.
Dundee United: Kawashima, Dixon, Paton, Mckay (Erskine 87), Rankin, Ofere (Dow 62), Durnan, Gunning, Spittal (Knoyle 82), S. Fraser, Donaldson. Subs not used: Zwick, Dillon, Murray, Sinama-Pongolle.
Referee: John Beaton.